MEANS OF PROMOTING VOCATIONS

Motivate all the members of the Congregation to work for Vocations. They can do this by introducing the Congregation and its apostolic activities to friends, neighbours, relatives, etc.

“Identify and follow interested students from high school onwards” (PC XVI, p. 56).

Make our life and mission known to people by organizing seminars, courses and other church-related events in parishes, schools, youth camps, etc. Ensure the active participation of the members of the local community in organizing such events (cfr PC XVI, p. 56).

“Appoint one member in each community as a contact person for vocation promotion” (PC XVI, p. 56).

Involve every community in the promotion of vocations through:

joyous witnessing of one’s vocation and of the engagement in the apostolic activities.

prayer for vocations, special holy hours, etc.

welcoming the candidates to the community and introducing them to our life and mission.

personal contacts.

Organize vocation camps in parishes, schools, etc., and particularly where we have parishes and engaged in some sort of pastoral ministry.

Present our Pauline identity along with our apostolic activities so that people will identify us as consecrated persons committed to evangelization through media.

Collaborate with the Pauline Family and other religious congregations.

Make use of our apostolic centres to attract youth and to introduce to them our life and work. Availability of a prayer room, counselling facilities, etc., will be added attractions, especially in today’s context.

Make every effort to promote vocations from as many states as possible.

Prepare attractive brochures and advertisements on the life and the mission of the Congregation in English, Hindi and other regional languages, giving all the necessary information and distribute it in advance in parishes, schools, etc. This is followed up with talks, correspondence, personal contacts, etc.

Make use of our print and other media for vocation work. Use audiovisual programmes, PowerPoint, etc., during vocation camps.

Use well-prepared and systematic questionnaires which every applicant should answer.

Besides interviewing the applicants, visit their homes to know their family background, character, fitness, etc., and consult their parish priests. Special attention should be given to their motivation, faith-formation and health.

Before admitting a candidate to our Congregation, make sure that he has the required intellectual capacity for our life and mission.

Common policies of Vocation Promotion should be made known to the candidates before they are admitted to the Congregation.

All vocation promoters should follow the Guidelines for Vocation Promotion (see appendix I)

We celebrate the feast of our Founder, Blessed James Alberione. Along with my Team and all in the Provincialate, I join you spiritually to celebrate the event meaningfully. I pray that God our loving Father may shower his choicest blessings on all of us and on all the apostolic activities of our Province through the intercession of our beloved Founder.

Our Province has just celebrated the Chapter on the theme “Do everything for the Gospel”. Alberione employed all his energies to the spread of the Good News in all its forms with all means that were at his disposal. Though physically weak he was moved by the Spirit of God to leap in to the unknown for the sake of the Gospel. May the vision of our heavenly Founder inspire us to greater commitment in our mission. May his determination to do something noble to the men and women of his times challenge us to personal renewal and may his indomitable spirit inspire us to be and to do everything for the Gospel.

Have a wonderful and grace-filled celebration of the feast. Stay blessed always.

Kindly keep our Brothers in Nigeria in your special prayers. May the Good Shepherd be close to them during these days of pain, sorrow and loss.